African football organization intensifies anti-doping efforts across continent

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced a major strengthening of its anti-doping measures, emphasizing its commitment to maintaining fairness in the sport. Through its Anti-Doping Unit, which has conducted 900 tests annually since its 2020 inception, the organization is working to combat the rising use of performance-enhancing drugs in African athletics.

Sherif Abou El Enein, CAF Senior Anti-Doping Manager, highlighted the unit's progress while acknowledging ongoing challenges. "Although the CAF Anti-Doping Unit started in 2020, we have achieved our set targets," he stated. "Despite this great achievement, we are not entirely satisfied because we want to ensure that we rid African football of doping offenders."

The organization has implemented several key initiatives, including anti-doping workshops across the continent, with a recent session held in Johannesburg, South Africa. CAF has also established strict requirements for doping control officers, mandating that they must be qualified medical doctors. Players found guilty of doping violations face penalties of up to five years' suspension.

To enhance testing accuracy, CAF has adopted the MODOC system, a paperless technology that reduces human error in the testing process. This technological advancement is part of CAF's broader strategy to align African football with international standards.

The initiative comes amid growing concerns about doping across various African sports. Kenya's athletics program has faced particular scrutiny, with over 60 athletes banned for using prohibited substances such as EPO and testosterone. Notable cases include Olympic athletes Wilson Kipsang and Rita Jeptoo. Ethiopian athletics has also experienced doping incidents, including Olympic gold medalist Jemima Sumgong's positive EPO test.

The problem extends beyond athletics, affecting cycling and boxing. South African and Eritrean cyclists have tested positive for steroids and EPO, while the boxing community has seen cases involving steroids and stimulants, including South African boxer Thulani Mbenge's connection to a doping scandal.

Challenges persist in anti-doping efforts across Africa, including limited laboratory testing capabilities and allegations of covered-up test results. Additionally, many young athletes lack awareness of banned substances, potentially jeopardizing their careers through unintentional violations.